King Kong 1933 French Grande Style A Film Poster, Roland Coudon

One of the stand-out items of our new collection. The 1933 French Grande Style A King Kong film poster by Roland Coudon is an exceptionally rare and highly sought-after vintage collectible. Created for the movie’s first release in France, it is one of only two poster styles produced for the Grande format for that debut. What truly sets this poster apart is its unique design: instead of depicting the more familiar Empire State Building scene, Coudon’s artwork captures the dramatic sacrifice moment on Skull Island, with Kong illuminated by torches as he is introduced to the audience.

Produced as a stone lithograph, this poster is widely regarded as one of the finest images created for King Kong, skilfully conveying the intense emotions of fear and awe central to the film. Measuring approximately 46 x 62 1/2 inches, the French Grande format gives the poster a commanding visual presence that draws the eye and demands attention. Due to its extreme rarity, with very few surviving examples known to exist, this poster is an invaluable treasure for serious collectors and film historians alike.

More than just a promotional item, the French Grande Style A King Kong poster is a stunning artefact of cinematic history, capturing the raw power and mystique that have made the film an enduring classic.

▼France has a long and rich history in poster design that dates back to the mid-19th century.... CLICK TO READ MORE

One of the most influential figures in the development of vintage posters was the French poster artist Jules Chéret. Around 1866, Chéret is credited with producing the first colour lithograph posters, using a technique he refined from the black and white process first invented by German actor and playwright Alois Senefelder in 1798. Cheret's three stone lithographic process allowed artists to achieve every colour in the rainbow using just three stones - usually red, yellow and blue - printed in careful registration.

The Parisian artists, headed by Cheret and including masters Steinlen, Willette, Grasset, Bonnard, Forain and, last but certainly not least, Toulouse-Lautrec's vibrant and eye-catching designs influenced, in part, by Japanese Woodcuts brought a new level of visual appeal to the streets of Paris and, in turn, established the poster as an art form.

The Belle Époque (Beautiful Era), a period of peace and frivolity in France from the late 19th to the early 20th century (1870-1914), played a significant role in the continued advancement of poster design. This era coincided with economic growth and the rise of a new middle class with disposable income and leisure time. It was during this time that the poster craze took hold in France, with posters being used for advertising various products, events, and entertainment.

Over the decades that followed from these auspicious beginnings French poster design continued to flourish and designers from around the world followed suit in experimenting with poster design for advertisements for cultural events, travel, film, food and drink and more.

This original vintage movie poster has been professionally linen-backed and is sized 46 x 62 1/2 inches (plus a couple more inches for the linen). It will be sent rolled (unframed).

• Year: 1933
  
• Poster Type: French Grande
  
• Style: -
• Art By: Roland Coudon
  
• Rolled/Folded/Other: Rolled Linen-backed
  
• Condition: Near Mint/Mint
  
• Condition Details: Originally folded (as issued) now profesionally linen-backed with light touch-up to folds. Paper darkened with age a ltitle and little marking on folds. Couple of glue dots on the linen on the back of the poster do not affect the poster at all.   Superb condition, especially given its age and rarity.